Page 2 - AGM Booklet 2024

Statement from the Chairman: Geoff Brown

I welcome you all to the Annual General Meeting, in particular, a warm welcome to the new Clubs who
are joining us. I hope that you will enjoy your time with us. To the Clubs that are leaving us, we wish
you every success for the future.
Last season, the number of Clubs in membership increased again, and we have no reason to believe
that we shall not see another increase for 24/25 Season. This will give our Fixture Secretary’s plenty of
work to do. The U15’s divisions are usually the biggest challenge, as they acclimatise to a new League.
However, there will also be problems in the older age groups as well.

It is imperative that all teams are ready to play right from the start of the season and not three weeks
into it, as seems to happen with some Clubs! If you have played three or four matches before October
arrives, when the KO Cup fixtures kick in, you will be in good stead.

You must remember that you have entered this League to play football and you must honour your
fixture commitments to the best of your ability. We expect Clubs to complete their fixtures by the
appropriate date set for the end of the season, this will be the end of April, with the first three weeks
into May used as an emergency period, for re-arranged fixtures. In normal circumstances we cannot
go past this date.

Some Clubs have however again caused major disruption this season regarding Fixtures, by not playing
their matches on the dates set. Often for frivolous reasons!

Lots of these fixtures pile up at the end of the season and then can’t be played, we do realise in some
cases this has been largely due to the weather and pitch conditions.
This will put the onus on you the managers to try and scedule these fixtures in to suit yourselves and
your opponents, under no circumstances will the league be awarding any matches unless for proven
disciplinary cases.

Next season, unfortunately, we will be looking to remove Clubs who constantly cause these problems.

Disciplinary issues have again been a problem with a small number of Clubs. However, the number of
cases is proportionally small as compared to the overall membership. That is not to say that we do not
take every report that we receive, with the upmost seriousness.

Although most disciplinary reports can be resolved through dialogue between the Disciplinary Officer
and the Clubs concerned by giving them guidance, some may also involve the County Association if
required.
However, Serious Misconduct, is a different matter and all Referee’s must report such cases involving
Club Officials, Spectators or Players to the County Association. Charges will be generated against Clubs
involved and if found proven, the consequences can be severe. All cases involving alleged Racism must
be reported to the FA, at Wembley, to deal with, as individual County Associations and Leagues cannot
deal with these.

We are a ‘Respect League ’and as such our member Clubs have a right to expect proper behaviour that
falls within the ‘Respect’ guidelines.

As with all Affiliated Leagues, we use the FA’s ‘Whole Game’ and ‘Full Time’ programmes, so our new
Clubs will already be familiar with the way we work.

Our own Website is quite easy to use and contains all the information you will require, hopefully within
two clicks. Particularly on the Website and not just for the New Clubs but for All Clubs, are the League
Rules and Regulations. Everyone needs to familiarise themselves with these, I have been

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